USFS · Wilderness area · Colorado

Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

Colorado's fourth largest Wilderness exemplifies Rocky Mountain splendor: 100 miles of trail lead over nine passes above 12,000 feet, vast regions lie above the tree line, and long glacial valleys point...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Wilderness181,973 acresUSFSCODesignated 196427 campgrounds within 10 mi10 Forest Service sites
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
1fire
active
Willow · 32 mi from the center · 7,389 acres
Interagency incident data as of 2026-09-17
Incident details ↓

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateColorado
Size181,973 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1964, by Congress
Center point39.1134, -107.0249
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 22)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 26 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · Inside
Maroon Bells Amphitheatre
Reservable1 site
FS · 0.1 mi
East Maroon Portal Picnic Site
Reservable2 sites
FS · 0.3 mi
Silver Queen Campground
Reservable6 sites
FS · 0.3 mi
Silver Bar Campground
Reservable4 sites
FS · 0.4 mi
Gothic
Reservable4 sites
FS · 0.4 mi
Silver Bell Campground
Reservable14 sites
FS · 0.4 mi
Avalanche Campground
First-comeCO
FS · 0.5 mi
Redstone
Reservable37 sites
Show 4 more

15 more within ten miles are not listed here.

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 10

The Forest Service lists 10 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 8 day hikings, 1 backpacking, 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Wildfire
    Willow

    32 mi from the center point · 7,389 acres · 80% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 47 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?

181,973 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness in?

Colorado.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1964.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?

1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Maroon Bells Amphitheatre. 27 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?

The Forest Service lists 10 recreation sites here, including 8 day hikings, 1 backpacking and 1 trailhead. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 39.113, -107.025. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Willow at 32 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 22 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?

47 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Osgood-Kuhnhausen House and Redstone Inn.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.